CBEST Reading 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage argues: 'School uniforms reduce peer pressure and improve focus, so all public schools should require them.' What type of statement is this conclusion?
- A statement of fact supported by statistics
- An opinion or argument based on stated reasons (Correct answer)
- A prediction with no supporting evidence
- A definition of a school policy term
Correct answer: An opinion or argument based on stated reasons
The conclusion is an opinion or argument—it advocates for a policy using reasoning that others could dispute.
Question 2: Read the sentence: 'The prolific author had published more than forty novels by her fiftieth birthday.' Based on context, 'prolific' most likely means:
- Struggling financially
- Producing a large body of work (Correct answer)
- Writing in multiple languages
- Receiving many literary awards
Correct answer: Producing a large body of work
Publishing more than forty novels is evidence of being prolific, meaning highly productive.
Question 3: Which sentence from a persuasive essay represents a counterargument that the author then intends to refute?
- Studies show that exercise improves mental health.
- Some critics argue that gym class takes time away from academic subjects. (Correct answer)
- Schools should increase physical education requirements.
- Students who exercise regularly earn higher grades on average.
Correct answer: Some critics argue that gym class takes time away from academic subjects.
A counterargument presents the opposing view that the author will then address and disprove.
Question 4: A table of contents shows chapters titled 'Planning,' 'Drafting,' 'Revising,' and 'Publishing.' What is the most likely organizational pattern of the book?
- Alphabetical order
- Chronological/sequential order (Correct answer)
- Order of importance
- Compare and contrast
Correct answer: Chronological/sequential order
The stages of writing follow a sequential process from planning to publishing, indicating chronological/sequential order.
Question 5: The following sentence has an error in word usage: 'The principle reason for the delay was bad weather.' What is the error?
- 'delay' should be 'delayed'
- 'principle' should be 'principal' (Correct answer)
- 'reason' should be 'reasoning'
- 'bad' should be 'poor'
Correct answer: 'principle' should be 'principal'
'Principal' (meaning main or chief) is the correct word here; 'principle' is a noun meaning a rule or belief.
Question 6: A student reads a passage and is asked to identify the author's purpose. The passage describes the history of jazz music with detailed facts and dates but no personal opinions or calls to action. The author's purpose is most likely to:
- Persuade readers to listen to jazz
- Entertain with fictional stories about musicians
- Inform readers about the history of jazz (Correct answer)
- Express the author's personal love of jazz
Correct answer: Inform readers about the history of jazz
Factual, objective content with historical data indicates the author's purpose is to inform.
Question 7: Which sentence best uses a transitional phrase to show contrast?
- She studied hard, and she passed the exam.
- Furthermore, the data supports the hypothesis.
- The weather was cold; as a result, the game was canceled.
- The food was delicious; however, the service was slow. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The food was delicious; however, the service was slow.
'However' is a transitional word that signals contrast between two ideas.
CBEST Reading 4
A passage argues: 'School uniforms reduce peer pressure and improve focus, so all public schools should require them.' What type of statement is this conclusion?